MSLGroup consumer director Sullivan passes away

NEW YORK: MSLGroup North American consumer practice director Michael Sullivan has died, the agency said Tuesday.

Renee Wilson, chief client officer and MD of MSL New York, praised Sullivan's work in an internal memo to agency staff on Tuesday. She worked closely with Sullivan for a number of years, including on the Procter & Gamble account. He joined MSLGroup in June 2010. The cause of Sullivan's death was not immediately known.

Wilson said Sullivan's legacy “will be his uncanny ability to take the strategic ideation to the highest level.”

"Michael changed the game for us in consumer," she told colleagues in the memo. "He let us know that what we were doing could be so much better. What had been acceptable no longer was, if you were working with Michael. He pushed our teams hard. And not everyone liked it, but no one can dispute he made us better PR strategists. I see his effect on many of you, and it's inspiring."

Prior to MSLGroup, Sullivan founded the consultancy Sullivan Bremmer. He worked in communications for more than 20 years, with clients in the consumer products, pharmaceutical, finance, fashion, and retail spaces.